With Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. now in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, infectious disease experts tell 21 News they hope he doesn't apply some of the controversial comments and beliefs he's espoused in the past.

"If we're talking about a person who is essentially in charge of healthcare in the United States, having beliefs like vaccines don't really help, it's kind of like putting somebody who has a very sincere belief in the tooth fairy in charge of all the dentistry in the country," said Dr. Ben Neuman, professor of biology at Texas A&M University.

"It's a lot to load onto a person and I hope he can carry that load."

There's growing alarm in the medical community about the country being unprepared for another pandemic.
Two major studies into bird flu that would help indicate a pandemic - funded by USAID - are now on hold.

"This is public health, you know? And viruses don't know partisan politics," says Dr. Dee Banks, epidemiologist with Northeast Ohio Infectious Disease Associates.

Dr. Banks says she's skeptical Kennedy will keep the promises he made to US Senators - at least one of whom is a doctor - about putting the greater good of Americans' health first.

Both experts had their own message for the man who now leads their field at the government level.

"Please do not stop vaccinations from happening in this country," said Dr. Banks. "Please open up CDC, please let the flow of information come out to us."

"Listen to the people who have been there, who are doing the work, the experts that know what they're doing, because they really do," added Dr. Neuman. "And keep an open mind."